Is Technology  the Problem?

The idea of a Salon was developed in 17th and 18th Century France. Typically they were created and organised by the aristocratic ladies, to hear the ideas of the great thinkers of the time, to debate their meaning, for entertainment, because they believed ideas were important and because they wanted to know where the world was going, and of course to flirt. The Salon was central to the intellectual ferment of the end of 18th Century. They hosted the great thinkers of the time; Diderot, Rousseau, Voltaire. They were the scenes of excitement, outrage, and the shock of the new in a time when ‘the new’ still seemed possible. They signalled a time when the future was still an unwritten book.The East Midlands Salon is organised in homage to those days which only came to end with the eruption of the French Revolution and the arrival of a new constellation: the age of revolutions. Many historians think that Salons helped develop the ideas that ushered in that age.The East Midlands Salon, like those that currently exist in Birmingham Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, New York, Zurich and Lisbon, is inspired by the Institute of Ideas.

East Midlands Salon

At the September East Midlands Salon, author and broadcaster, Timandra Harkness  will lead a discussion of  the themes in her new book.

The Brunswick Inn

We are pleased to announce that at the next East Midlands Salon, author and broadcaster, Timandra Harkness, will lead a discussion of the themes in her new book, Technology is Not the Problem. Her book challenges the frequently expressed view that technology IS the problem. This is understandable because smartphones have become almost ubiquitous in modern society allowing access to social-media services, which have billions of users worldwide.Few technologies have seen such rapid adoption. Some commentators have pointed to this new technology as an important cause of several social problems that have come to the fore in recent years. But in this case, does correlation really equal causation?One problem is how we discuss social and political issues. Social media has democratised political debate. But that debate seems increasingly polarised and toxic.The rise of AI, particularly the ease of making ‘deep fakes’, has complicated matters further, making it harder for voters to figure out what candidates really believe or potentially stirring up conflict.There are also worries – most prominently expressed by Professor Jonathan Haidt – that spending so much time looking at devices has damaged children’s mental health, sense of independence and concentration spans.Come along and join in the debate!Copies of her book will be on sale at the Salon but it is available on <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Technology-Not-Problem-relationship-smartphones-ebook/dp/B0CW2WNXQQ" title="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Technology-Not-Problem-relationship-smartphones-ebook/dp/B0CW2WNXQQ" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Amazon</a>.Visit Timandra's <a href="https://www.timandraharkness.com/" title="https://www.timandraharkness.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">website</a> to find out more about her work.